Game



Nov. 7, 1933. I s osso 1,934,381

GAME

Filed May 17, 1933 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to a game in the nature of football, hockey, etc., and comprises an opentop, box-like structure equipped with goals at its opposite ends-and with paddles or striking arms having rocking and sliding movements and located at different points in the field between the goals, such paddles or arms being manipulated by the players in an endeavor to cause the ball with which the game is played to enter the proper goal or cage and to prevent its admission into the cage or goal of the opponents.

One aim of the invention is to provide a game appliance of this character the parts of which are proportioned and arranged to make the game of greatest interest and of substantial difilculty to win.

A further object of the invention is to supply a novel and improved means for properly sup porting the movable paddles so as to give adequate room for the players located at the sides of the game table.

Another feature of the invention is the usewof an undulating or wavy field or floor surface for the game so that the ball with which it is played cannot come to rest on a spot from which it cannot be knocked away by at least one of the manipulated paddles, and the unevenness of the fioor also accentuates the difiiculty of causing 13 equally spaced apart and positioned transversely of the base.

Such floor or base fits snugly and removably inside of a rectangular frame designated as a whole 14, which is demountably secured to the base by appropriate thumb-nuts 15, such frame normally holding the base securely in fiat or horizontal position.

When by removal of the nuts the frame is detached and its side and end elements separated from one another, the floor or base is'free and may be folded, as will be readily understood.

A convenient size for such frame and associated base is approximately five feet in length and about two feet in width.

Each end wall 16 of such upstanding rim or border frame has a central opening 17, the bottom margin of which is on a level with the adjacent top surface of the base, each such goal aperture being about seven and one-half inches long..

Outwardly of the frame, each such opening or aperture is equipped with a confining net pocket or receptacle 18 for holding the ball 19 if the latter passes outwardly through the opening, the flexibility of the net rendering .the removal of the trap ed ball an easy matter and the open\ work characteristic of the net making the ball the ball to perform the desired direction and visible when accommodated therein.

degree of travel.

An added salient feature of a structure incorporating the invention is its capacity for folding for storage when not in use.

Another novel characteristic of the game board resides in suitable bumpers which allow the game to be played vigorously and energetically and without undue noise.

To enable those skilled in this art to fully understand the invention, both from structural and functional standpoints, and to comprehend the manner in which the above and other stated objects and aims are attained, in the accompanying drawing, to which reference should be had in connection with the following detailed description, a present preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, and, for simplicity, like reference munerals have been employed -in the views to designate the same parts.

In this drawing:--

Figure 1 is a plan view of the game; and

Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section therethrough.

Referring to this drawing, it will be noted that the novel and improved game includes a floor or Y base comprising two parts 10 and 11 hinged together at 12 crosswise the structure, so that such base may be readily folded upon itself when not in use, the top surface of such base or field being somewhat undulating or wavy lengthwise thereof, as shown, and with six depressions or valleys Directly above each trans-verse hollow or valley 13 the game board has a stationary rod 20 extended between and mounted in any approved and convenient manner in the opposite side walls 21, 21 of the border frame. V

Each such supporting cylindrical rod has a tubular member 22 slidable lengthwise and rotatable thereon and extended out through an aperture of one of the walls 21, the outer end of each such member having a rubber or other desirable handle 23 by means of which the tubular member may be both rocked and slid on its inner supportin rod.

As .s clearly shown, alternate tubular elements 22 project out beyond one side wall, while the remaining alternate members 22 extend in similar manner beyond the opposite side-wall. the spaces between such protruding portions of the specified sliding members to be occupied more or less by the players.

Each end member 22 has a single depending paddle 24 fixedly mounted-on its end portion, the lower part of the paddle adapted and designed to strike the ball being supplied with a rubber or other resilientbufier 25.

The lower edge of each such paddle, when the paddle is in upright position, is slightly above the surface of that part of the floor or base beneath it.

Each member 22, second from the corresponding goal, has two such paddles attached to it and with their centers spaced apart a distance approximately equal to one-half of the width of the base.

Each of the innermost members 22 has three such spaced paddles secured thereon, as is fully shown in Figure 1, and their centers are spaced apart about one-third of the width'of the floor.

In the present instance, six such tubular members are employed with the number of paddles indicated, but, in some cases, it may be desirable to use agreater or lesser number of such sliding, rocking elements and their companion paddles.

Each of the paddles or racquets is approximately three inches wide and the ball 19 which they are intended to strike is about one and three-quarters inches in diameter, whereby it will be apparent that each goal aperture 17 is slightly larger than the width of one paddle plus twice the diameter of the ball.

In order to prevent the ball from becoming trapped in any of the corners out of the effective reach of any of the paddles, each such corner is fitted with or occupied by a suitable tri-' angular filler piece 27, and the ball in being played may be banked not only against the frame sides and ends but also against the inner oblique surfaces of such corner elements.

To preclude the occurrence of objectionable noise occasioned by the sliding movements of the paddles, rubbenbumpers may be used at the points 28 and 29. V i

The game may be played by two, four, or six persons, the opposing players or'teams being located at opposite sides of the game board with the two teams facing one another.

If only two persons play, then each manipulates three handles and their associated paddles; if four persons indulge in the game, two may work two handles each and the remaining two one handle each; whereas, if six persons play, each will operate one handle only.

The object of the game is, by rocking, sliding, or by a combined rocking and sliding of the paddles, to cause the ball to enter the proper goal opening and companion net pocket and to prevent the ball from finding admission into the opponent's goal entrance.

This may be effected by direct plays of the paddles on the ball or by causing the bank or carom on the frame walls.

As shown in Figure 1, the persons operating the handles at thetop of the illustration endeavor to play the ball into the goal net at the right-hand end of the gameboard, whereas themanipulators of the handles at the lower part of the drawing attempt to cause the ball to enter the goal net at the left-hand end of the game board, each group, of course,- endeavoring to prevent the opponents from succeeding in their attempts.

The game may be played by counting the num ber of goals made, or maybe played in time periods.

The operators can strike the ball squarely with.

coming to rest at a location where it cannot be readily reached by some one. or more of the paddles. I

If played by somewhat skilled operators, the

ball to the appended claims and without the loss or sacrifice of any of its material benefits or advantages.

I claim:

1. In a game, the combination of a base, a rectangular frame around and upstanding from said base, goal apertures in the end-walls of said frame, net-pockets to receive the ball after passing through said goal,apertures, rods arranged transverse to said frame above said base, extended from side-wall to side-wall of said frame and supported by said side walls, tubular members slidable and rockable on said rods and each ex- .tended beyond a side-wall of said frame, a handle on such extended part of each of said members, alternate tubular members having said handles outwardly beyond-one side-wall of said frame, the remaining alternate tubular members having handles outwardly beyond the opposite sidewall of said frame, paddles fixedly secured on said tubular members and adapted to be rocked and rec'procated by said handles, and a ball on said base designed to be struck and moved by said paddles.

2. The structure presented in claim} in which the top surface of said base undulates lengthwise only of said base and with its valleys in register with said rods.

3. The structure presented in claim 1 in which in which each of the two tubular members nearest the end-walls has one paddle only aflixed thereto, and each of the two tubular members next to said two members has two paddles only affixed thereto, and each of the remaining tubular members has three paddles only afiixed thereto.

4. In a game, the combination of a base composed ,of parts hinged together, a rectangular frame upstanding from said base and in which said base fits, means securing said base in flat unfolded condition to said frame, goal apertures 'there are s'x such rods and tubular members and v in the end-walls of sa d frame, net-pockets to rockable on each of said rods and each extended beyond a side-wall of said frame, a handle on such extended part of each of said members, alternate tubular members having said handles outwardly beyond one side-wall of said frame, the remaining alternate tubular members having such handles outwardly beyond the opposite side-wall of said frame, :a single paddle fixedly secured to each of the tubular members nearest said frame end-walls; two paddles only fixedly se-,- cured to each of said tubular members next to said end members, three paddles only fixedly secured to each of the remaining tubular members, all of said paddles on said tubular members being adapted to be rocked and reciprocated by their respective handles, the top surfaceof said base undulating lengthwise only of the base and having its valleys in register with said rods, and a ball on said base adapted to be struck and moved by said paddles. game can readily involve a substantial degree of THERON N. SLOSSON 

